The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has postponed the deadline for the attestation to Meaningful Use by eligible professionals (EPs) participating in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. The old deadline of Feb. 28 has been postponed to Monday, March 13, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. PT.

If you participate in the Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program, you must attest to the 2016 program requirements by March 13, 2017, to avoid a 2018 payment adjustment. If you are participating in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, please refer to your state’s deadlines for attestation information.

Medicare’s EHR Incentive Program, or Meaningful Use, is expected to be phased out for physicians this year, but physicians must still report on the Meaningful Use measures for 2016 to avoid a 3 percent penalty in 2018. CMS expects about 171,000 physicians to be penalized this year for failure to attest to Meaningful Use for 2015.

CMS did not explain why it was pushing back the deadline for 2016 attestation. However, the agency did not specify until November that the reporting period for Meaningful Use was 90 days in 2016, rather than the original full calendar year. No hardship exceptions were granted for 2016 because of the tardy announcement of the reporting period, so it may be possible CMS wants to give EPs every opportunity to attest before the window closes.

If you are eligible to participate in both the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, you MUST demonstrate meaningful use to avoid the Medicare payment adjustment. You may demonstrate meaningful use under either Medicare or Medicaid. If you are eligible to participate in both the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, you MUST demonstrate Meaningful Use to avoid the Medicare payment adjustment. You may demonstrate Meaningful Use under either Medicare or Medicaid.